Test: Geography- 3 Free Online Test 2026

• Soil erosion is essentially aggravated by faulty practices. Lands with a slope gradient of 15–25 percent should not be used for cultivation. If at all the land is to be used for agriculture, terraces should carefully be made.
• Efforts should be made to prevent gully erosion and control their formation. Finger gullies can beeliminated by terracing. In bigger gullies, the erosive velocity of water may be reduced by constructing a series of check dams. Special attention should be paid to control headward extension of gullies. This can be done by gully plugging, terracing, or by planting cover vegetation.
  • Terracing is a soil conservation practice applied to prevent rainfall runoff on sloping land from accumulating and causing serious erosion. Terraces consist of ridges and channels constructed across-the-slope.
• In arid and semi-arid areas, efforts should be made to protect cultivable lands from encroachment by sand dunes through the development of shelter belts of trees and agroforestry. Lands not suitable for cultivation should be converted into pastures for grazing.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.
 

• Tropical Evergreen forests are found in the western slope of the Western Ghats, hills of the northeastern region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• They are found in warm and humid areas with an annual precipitation of over 200 cm and mean annual temperature above 22 degree C.
• The Western Ghats in India provide favorable conditions for orographic rainfall. The warm and moist air from the Arabian sea is blocked by the Western Ghats and gets lifted over mountain ranges. As the air rises and cools, orographic clouds are formed resulting in precipitation.
  • Due to orographic rainfall, the western side of the western ghats receives heavy rainfall, more than 250cm rainfall per year. and aids in growth of Tropical evergreen forests in India.
• These forests can be extremely dense and multi-layered, with a few areas being so dense that the forest floor hardly receives any sunlight due to the engulfing leaves and large trees.
• The main vegetation found in these forests is Ebony, Mahogany, and Rosewood.
• The tropical evergreen forests are known as lungs of the Earth because of huge greenery and the amount of oxygen they produce. The plants usually draw carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, hence are called as the lungs of the Earth.

Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
 

• Many local winds, some hot, others cold are common around the Mediterranean Sea. The causes are many and varied. The topography of the region with the high Alps in the north, the Sahara desert in the south, continental interiors in the east and the open Atlantic on the west give rise to great differences in temperature, pressure and precipitation.
• The passing cyclones from the Atlantic, the anticyclones from the north, and the cold air masses from the continental interiors are often interrupted or channelled by relief features, resulting in the birth of local winds around the Mediterranean. These winds varying in strength, direction and duration affect the lives, crops and activities of the people there.
• Sirocco.
  • This is a hot dry dusty wind which originates in the Sahara Desert . Though it may occur at any time of the year, it is most frequent in spring and normally lasts for only a few days. The Sirocco blows outwards in a southerly direction from the desert interiors into the cooler Mediterranean Sea. It is usually associated with depressions from the Atlantic passing from the coast eastwards inland.
• Mistral.
  • Mistral is a cold wind from the north of Mediterranean sea , rushing down the Rhone valley in violent gusts between 40 and 80 miles per hour. The velocity of the Mistral is intensified by the funnelling effect in the valley between the Alps and the Central Massif, and in extreme cases trains may be derailed and trees uprooted.
• A similar type of cold north-easterly wind experienced along the Adriatic coast is called the Bora. Like the Mistral, it is caused by a difference in pressure between continental Europe and the Mediterranean. This usually occurs in winter, when the atmospheric pressure over continental Europe is higher than that of the Mediterranean Sea.
• In West Africa, the North- East Trades blow offshore from the Sahara Desert and reach the Guinea coast as a dry, dust -laden wind, called locally the Harmattan meaning The doctor’.
  • It is so dry that its relative humidity seldom exceeds 30 per cent. The doctor’ provides a welcome relief from the damp air of the Guinea lands by increasing the rate of evaporation with resultant cooling effects, but it is such a dry dusty wind that , besides ruining the crops, it also stirs up a thick dusty haze and impedes inland river navigation.
• Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

•  Alluvial soils: 
  • Alluvial soils are widespread soils in India mostly in Northern Plains and River valleys.
  • These soils cover 40% of the total area of the country. Hence statement a is correct
  • These soils are depositional soils transported and deposited by rivers and streams.
  • Alluvial soils are categorised as Khadar and Bangar based on deposition. Hence statement c is correct.
  • Khadar - New alluvium, deposited by floods annually. 
  • Bangar- old alluvium, deposited away from flood plains.
  • Both Khadar and Bangar contain Calcerous concentration (kankars).
  • Khadar soil is more fertile than Bangar. Hence option d is correct.
  • Alluvial soils are fertile soils. Their nature various from sandy, loam to clay. Hence statement b is correct.
  • Alluvial soils contain an adequate amount of Potash, phosphoric acid and lime. Hence statement e is correct.
  • These soils are intensively cultivated. They are suitable for the cultivation of Sugarcane, paddy, wheat and pulses. Hence statement f is correct.
  • Alluvial soil colour varies from light grey to ash grey. 

Coastal erosion leads to the formation of a range of landforms which largely depend on the material that forms the cliff.

• More resistant material such as chalk leads to the formation of classic coastal landforms such as arches, caves, stacks and stumps.
• Where there is a combination of hard and soft material this leads to the formation of bays and headlands.
• Beaches, Dunes, Spit and Tombolo are the most common coastal depositional landforms

• Gerosoppa Falls, also known as Jog Falls, is located in the Shimoga district of Karnataka. It is one of the highest waterfalls in India, with a height of 253 metres (829 feet). It is a segmented waterfall that, depending on rain and season, becomes a plunge waterfall.
• The waterfall is formed by the Sharavati River, which originates in the Western Ghats. It is an important river in Karnataka, flowing towards the west. It flows through the dense forests of the Western Ghats and drops down the rocky cliffs at Jog Falls. The water plunges into a deep green valley and creates a spectacular view. Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

• During the southwest monsoon period after having rained for a few days, if rain fails to occur for one or more weeks, it is known as a break in the monsoon. These dry spells are quite common during the rainy season. These breaks in the different regions are due to different reasons:
• In northern India, rains are likely to fail if the rain-bearing storms are not very frequent along the monsoon trough or the ITCZ over this region.
• Over the west coast, the dry spells are associated with days when winds blow parallel to the coast.
• Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is correct: Nine-dash line is an imaginary, vague line which represents Chinese claims over the South China sea. This line has led China into border disputes with neighbouring countries including Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Statement 2 is correct: At the heart of the dispute is the resource-rich region surrounding Paracel and Spratly islands. China has led claims over the islands, but they are rejected by the majority of the members of the international community.

• As the summer sets in and the sun shift northwards, the wind circulation over the subcontinent undergoes a complete reversal at both, the lower as well as the upper levels. By the middle of July, the low-pressure belt nearer the surface, (termed as Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), shifts northwards, roughly parallel to the Himalayas between 20° N and 25° N. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• By this time, the westerly jet stream withdraws from the Indian region. In fact, meteorologists have found an interrelationship between the northward shift of the equatorial trough (ITCZ) and the withdrawal of the westerly jet stream from over the North Indian Plain. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
• At the upper level, an easterly jet stream flows over the southern part of the Peninsula in June and has a maximum speed of 90 km per hour. In August, it is confined to 15°N latitude, and in September up to 22° N latitude. The easterlies normally do not extend to the north of 30° N la

• As the monsoon winds approach the Indian subcontinent, their southwesterly direction is modified by the relief and thermal low pressure over northwest India. The monsoon approaches the landmass in two branches: the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch.
• The monsoon winds originating over the Arabian Sea splits into three branches.
  • Its one branch is obstructed by the Western Ghats. They bring heavy rainfall in the windward side of the Sahyadris and western coastal plains.
  • Another branch of the Arabian sea monsoon strikes the coast north of Mumbai. Moving along the Narmada and Tapi river valleys, these winds cause rainfall in extensive areas of central India.
  • A third branch of this monsoon wind strikes the Saurashtra Peninsula and the Kachchh. It then passes over west Rajasthan and along the Aravalis, causing only a scanty rainfall. In Punjab and Haryana,
• it too joins the Bay of Bengal branch. These two branches, reinforced by each other, cause rains in the western Himalayas. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The Bay of Bengal branch strikes the coast of Myanmar and part of southeast Bangladesh. But the Arakan Hills along the coast of Myanmar deflect a big portion of this branch toward the Indian subcontinent. The monsoon, therefore, enters West Bengal and Bangladesh from the south and southeast instead of from the south-westerly direction. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines. The Kashmir Himalayas are also famous for Karewa formations, which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran, a local variety of saffron. Hence pair 1 is correctly matched.
• The extension of the Peninsular plateau can be seen as far as Jaisalmer in the West, where it has been covered by longitudinal sand ridges and crescent-shaped sand dunes called barchans. To the northwest of the Aravali hills lies the Great Indian desert. It is a land of undulating topography dotted with longitudinal dunes and barchans. This region receives low rainfall below 150 mm per year; hence, it has an arid climate with low vegetation cover. It is because of these characteristic features that this is also known as Marusthali. Hence pair 2 is not correctly matched.
• Dehradun is the largest of all the duns with an approximate length of 35-45 km and a width of 22-25 km. In the Great Himalayan range, the valleys are mostly inhabited by the Bhotias. These are nomadic groups who migrate to ‘Bugyals’ (the summer grasslands in the higher reaches) during the summer months and return to the valleys during winter. The famous ‘Valley of flowers’ is also situated in this Region. Hence pair 3 is not correctly matched.

• Ocean currents are like river flow in oceans. They represent a regular volume of water in a definite path and direction.
• The ocean currents may be classified based on their depth as surface currents and deep water currents :
  • surface currents constitute about 10 per cent of all the water in the ocean, these waters are the upper 400 m of the ocean
  • deep water currents make up the other 90 per cent of the ocean water.
• These waters move around the ocean basins due to variations in the density and gravity. Deep waters sink into the deep ocean basins at high latitudes, where the temperatures are cold enough to cause the density to increase.
• Ocean currents can also be classified based on temperature: as cold currents and warm currents:
  • cold currents bring cold water into warm water areas. These currents are usually found on the west
  • coast of the continents in the low and middle latitudes (true in both hemispheres) and on the east coast in the higher latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere
  • warm currents bring warm water into cold water areas and are usually observed on the east coast of continents in the low and middle latitudes (true in both hemispheres). In the northern hemisphere they are found on the west coasts of continents in high latitudes.
• The Kuroshio Current, also known as the Black or Japan Current or the Black Stream, is a north-flowing, warm ocean current on the west side of the North Pacific Ocean basin.
• Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

• Siwalik Range, also called Siwalik Hills or Outer Himalayas, Siwalik also spelled Shiwalik, is the sub-Himalayan range of the northern Indian subcontinent. It extends west-northwestward for more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the Tista River in Sikkim state, northeastern India, through Nepal, across northwestern India, and into northern Pakistan. Though only 10 miles (16 km) wide in places, the range has an average elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 meters). It rises abruptly from the plain of the Indus and Ganges (Ganga) rivers (south) and parallels the main range of the Himalayas (north), from which it is separated by valleys. The Siwaliks are sometimes considered to include the southern foothills of the Assam Himalayas, which extend eastward for 400 miles (640 km) across southern Bhutan to the bend of the Brahmaputra River. The range proper, to which the name Siwalik (from Sanskrit, meaning “Belonging to [the God] Shiva”) was formerly restricted, is the 200 miles (320 km) of foothills in India extending from the Ganges River at Haridwar, Uttarakhand state, northwestward to the Beas River.
• Vindhya Range is a broken range of hills forming the southern escarpment of the central upland of India. From Gujarat state on the west, it extends about 675 miles (1,086 km) across Madhya Pradesh state to abut on the Ganges (Ganga) River valley near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The mountains form the southern edge of the Malwa Plateau and then divide into two branches: the Kaimur Range, running north of the Son River into western Bihar state, and the southern branch, running between the upper reaches of the Son and Narmada rivers to meet the Satpura Range in the Maikala Range (or Amarkantak Plateau).
• The Satpura Range is formed by a series of scarped plateaus on the south, generally at an elevation varying between 600-900 m above the mean sea level. This forms the northernmost boundary of the Deccan plateau. It is a classic example of the relict mountains which are highly denuded and form discontinuous ranges.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

• A climatic region has a homogeneous climatic condition which is the result of a combination of factors.
• Temperature and rainfall are two important elements that are considered to be decisive in all the schemes of climatic classification. The classification of climate, however, is a complex exercise. There are different schemes of classification of climate.
• Koeppen based his scheme of Climatic classification on monthly values of temperature and precipitation.
• He identified five major climatic types, namely:
  • Tropical climates, where the mean monthly temperature throughout the year is over 18°C.
  • (Dry climates, where precipitation is very low in comparison to temperature, and hence, dry. If dryness is less, it is semiarid (S); if it is more, the climate is arid(W).
  • Warm temperate climates, where the mean temperature of the coldest month is between 18°C and minus 3°C.
  • Cool temperate climates, where the mean temperature of the warmest month is over 10°C, and the mean temperature of the coldest month is under minus 3°C.
  • Ice climates, where the mean temperature of the warmest month is under 10°C.
• Each type is further subdivided into sub-types on the basis of seasonal variations in the distributional pattern of rainfall and temperature. Koeppen used letter symbols to denote climatic types. He used S for semi-arid and W for arid and the following small letters to define sub-types: f (sufficient precipitation), m (rain forest despite a dry monsoon season), w (dry season in winter), h (dry and hot), c (less than four months with mean temperature over 10°C), and g (Gangetic plain).
• Koeppen divided India into nine climatic regions. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

• The Himalayan ranges show a succession of vegetation from the tropical to the tundra, which changes with altitude.
• Deciduous forests are found in the foothills of the Himalayas.
• It is succeeded by the wet temperate type of forests between an altitude of 1,000-2,000 m.
• In the higher hill ranges of northeastern India, hilly areas of West Bengal and Uttaranchal, evergreen broad leaf trees such as oak and chestnut are predominant.
• Between 1,500-1,750 m, pine forests are also well-developed in this zone, with Chir Pine as a very useful commercial tree.
• Deodar, a highly valued endemic species grows mainly in the western part of the Himalayan range.
• Deodar is a durable wood mainly used in construction activity.
• Similarly, the chinar and the walnut, which sustain the famous Kashmir handicrafts, belong to this zone.
• Blue pine and spruce appear at altitudes of 2,225-3,048 m.
• At many places in this zone, temperate grasslands are also found.
• But in the higher reaches there is a transition to Alpine forests and pastures.
• Silver firs, junipers, pines, birch and rhododendrons, etc. occur between 3,000-4,000 m.
• However, these pastures are used extensively for transhumance by tribes like the Gujjars, the Bakarwals, the Bhotiyas and the Gaddis.
• The southern slopes of the Himalayas carry a thicker vegetation cover because of relatively higher precipitation than the drier north-facing slopes.
• At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of the tundra vegetation.
• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

• Temperate continental climates (Steppe) are located in the heart of continents meaning they have little maritime influence. Their climate is thus continental with extremes of temperature - summers are very warm and winters are very cold. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The presence of deciduous trees is a feature of Tropical grasslands (short trees and tall grasses), whereas, in the steppes, trees are very scarce, because of the scanty rainfall, long droughts, and severe winters. Tall, fresh, and nutritious prairie grass are found, thus, they are often referred to as 'Granaries of the world'. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Fohn (Switzerland) and Chinook (Canadian praries) are names of local winds that play an influential role in the pastures of temperate grasslands. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• Soil erosion refers to the removal of soil at a greater rate than its replacement by natural agencies.
• Topography, rainfall, wind, lack of vegetation cover, land use practices, etc. are the causes of soil erosion.
• Water erosion means that soil particles are detached either by splash erosion (caused by raindrops), or by the effect of running water. It is mainly categorized into the following types:
  • Sheet Erosion - This means when a fairly uniform layer of soil is removed over an entire surface area.
  • Rill Erosion - It occurs where water runs in very small channels over the soil surface, with the abrading effect of transported soil particles causing incision of the channels into the soil surface.
  • Gully Erosion - It occurs when rills flow together to make larger streams (gully formation).
  • Bank Erosion - It is caused by water cutting into the banks of streams and rivers. It can cause large floods and major destruction to property.
• Hence, option (c) is the correct answer.
   

• The northern part of India lies in the sub-tropical and temperate zone and the part lying south of the Tropic of Cancer falls in the tropical zone. The tropical zone being nearer to the equator experiences high temperatures throughout the year with small daily and annual ranges. The area north of the Tropic of Cancer, being away from the equator, experiences an extreme climate with a high daily and annual range of temperature. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• With a long coastline, large coastal areas have an equable climate. Areas in the interior of India are far away from the moderating influence of the sea. Such areas have extremes of climate. That is why the people of Mumbai and the Konkan coast have hardly any idea of extremes of temperature and the seasonal rhythm of weather. On the other hand, the seasonal contrasts in weather at places in the interior of the country such as Delhi, Kanpur, and Amritsar affect the entire sphere of life. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• The Indian sub-continent is highly prone to multiple natural disasters including earthquakes, which is one of the most destructive natural hazards with the potentiality of inflicting huge loss to lives and property. Earthquakes pose a real threat to India with 59% of its geographical area vulnerable to seismic disturbances of varying intensities including the capital city of the country.
• The varying geology at different locations in the country implies that the likelihood of damaging earthquakes taking place at different locations is different. Thus, a seismic zone map is required so that buildings and other structures located in different regions can be designed to withstand the different levels of ground shaking. The current zone map divides India into four zones – II, III, IV and V.
• Regions that fall under the Earthquake (seismic) Zones in India
  • Zone-V covers the entire of northeastern India, some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, some parts of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, some parts of North Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
  • Zone-IV covers the remaining parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, Union Territory of Delhi, Sikkim, northern parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, parts of Gujarat, and small portions of Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan. The Koyna region of Maharashtra is also in this zone. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
  • Zone-III comprises of Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal, parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. A large part of the country stretches from the North including some parts of Rajasthan to the South through the Konkan coast, and also the Eastern parts of the country. Hence statement 3 is not correct.
  • Zone-II These two zones are contiguous, covering parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, known as low-risk earthquake zones.
     

• The earth is composed of various kinds of elements. These elements are in solid form in the outer layer of the earth and in hot and molten form in the interior. About 98 per cent of the total crust of the earth is composed of eight elements like oxygen, silicon, aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, and the rest is constituted by titanium, hydrogen, phosphorous, manganese, sulphur, carbon, nickel and other elements.
• Major elements of earth's crust
  

The weight percentages of these elements in the Earth's crust are roughly:

• Oxygen: ~46%

• Silicon: ~28%

• Aluminium: ~8%

• Iron: ~5%

Now, arranging them in increasing order:

Iron (4) < Aluminium (3) < Silicon (2) < Oxygen (1). Therefore , Correct Answer - Option C
 

• The Savanna or Sudan Climate is a transitional type of climate found between the equatorial forests and the trade wind hot deserts. It is confined within the tropics and is best developed in the Sudan where the dry and wet seasons are most distinct , hence its name the Sudan Climate. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The Savanna type of climate is characterized by an alternate hot , rainy season and cool , dry season.
• Days are hot and during the hot season noon temperatures of over 100° F are quite frequent . When night falls the clear sky which promotes intense heating during the day also causes radiation in the night Temperatures drop to well below 50°F and night frosts are not uncommon at this time of the year.
  • This extreme diurnal range of temperature is another characteristic feature of the Sudan type of climate. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The prevailing winds of the region are the Trade Winds, which bring rain to the coastal districts. They are strongest in the summer but are relatively dry by the time they reach the continental interiors or the western coasts of the continents, so that grass and scattered short trees predominate.
   

• The Crust is the outermost solid part of the earth. It is brittle in nature. The thickness of the crust varies under the oceanic and continental areas.
• Oceanic crust is thinner as compared to the continental crust. The mean thickness of oceanic crust is 5 km whereas that of the continental is around 30 km. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• The continental crust is thicker in the areas of major mountain systems. It is as much as 70 km thick in the Himalayan region.
• It is made up of heavier rocks having density of 3 g/cm³. This type of rock found in the oceanic crust is basaltic. The mean density of material in oceanic crust is 2.7g/cm³. Hence statement 2 is correct.
   

• Zaid is a short-duration summer cropping season beginning after the harvesting of Rabi crops. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is a short season during the summer months known as the Zaid season. Some of the crops produced during ‘zaid’ are watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables, and fodder crops. Sugarcane takes almost a year to grow. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Zaid crops require warm dry weather for major growth periods and longer day length for flowering and fruiting. However, this type of distinction in the cropping season does not exist in southern parts of the country. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct and Statement 3 is not correct.
• Mississippi River
  • The Mississippi river is the second-longest river of North America. The River lies entirely within the United States.
  • Source: Lake Itasca in Minnesota
  • Mouth: Gulf of Mexico
• Major Tributaries
  • Missouri River, Ohio River, Arkansas and Illinois are its Tributaries.
  • The longest tributary of the Mississippi River is Missouri River.
  • The length of the Missouri River (3,767 km) is slightly longer than the Mississippi river (3,766 km).

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched and Pair 2 and 3 are correctly matched.

• Budapest is located on the bank of the Danube river.
• Basel is located on the bank of the Rhine river.
• Vienna is located on the bank of the Danube river.

Statement 1 is correct and Statement 2 is not correct.
Antarctica

• Antarctica is the world’s southernmost and fifth largest continent. It is also the world’s highest, driest, windiest, coldest, and iciest continent.
• India presently has two research stations at Antarctica namely ‘Maitri’ and ‘Bharati’. Dakshin Gangotri is no longer in operation. Himadri
• It is a research station of India in the Arctic.

• • Mixed Farming is a form of agriculture found in the highly developed parts of the world, e.g. North- Western Europe, Eastern North America, parts of Eurasia and the temperate latitudes of Southern continents.
• • Crop rotation and intercropping play an important role in maintaining soil fertility. Equal emphasis is laid on crop cultivation and animal husbandry. Animals like cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry provide the main income along with crops.
• Mixed farming is characterized by high capital expenditure on farm machinery and building, extensive use of chemical fertilizers and green manures and also the skill and expertise of the farmers. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The system in which the farmers specialize in vegetables is known as truck farming. The distance of truck farms from the market is governed by the distance that a truck can cover overnight, hence the name truck farming. Such a type of farming is developed in densely populated industrial districts of northwest Europe, the northeastern United States of America and the Mediterranean regions. It is both labor and capital-intensive and lays emphasis on the use of irrigation, HYV seeds, fertilizers, insecticides, greenhouses and artificial heating in colder regions. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Collective Farming or the model of Kolkhoz was introduced in the erstwhile Soviet Union to improve upon the inefficiency of the previous methods of agriculture and to boost agricultural production for self-sufficiency. The farmers used to pool in all their resources like land, livestock and labor. However, they were allowed to retain very small plots to grow crops in order to meet their daily requirements.

Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• Petroleum is also called ‘black gold’ or ‘liquid gold’. It is second to coal in terms of sources of energy. It is an essential source of energy for all internal combustion engines in automobiles, railways and aircraft. Crude petroleum occurs in sedimentary rocks of the tertiary period. It is formed when large quantities of dead organisms, usually zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath sedimentary rock and subjected to intense heat and pressure. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• Petroleum (and natural gas) are born and accumulate in the sedimentary mantle of the Earth. Small amounts of these hydrocarbons are present throughout the mantle, but large accumulations are encountered less frequently. About 600 sedimentary basins, characterized by oil and gas occurrence, are found on the Earth.
• Unlike coal, Petroleum is not distributed evenly around the world. More than half of the world’s proven oil reserves are located in the Middle East. Following the Middle East are Canada and the United States, Latin America, Africa, and the region occupied by the former Soviet Union. Each of those regions contains less than 15 percent of the world’s proven reserves. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
• The two largest classes of fields are the super-giants, fields with 5 billion or more barrels of ultimately recoverable oil, and world-class giants, fields with 500 million to 5 billion barrels of ultimately recoverable oil. Fewer than 40 supergiant oil fields have been found worldwide. The Arabian-Iranian sedimentary basin in the Persian Gulf region contains two- thirds of these supergiant fields.
• The remaining super-giants are distributed as follows: two in the United States, two in Russia, two in Mexico, one in Libya, one in Algeria, one in Venezuela, and two in China.

In the Mediterranean region the term 'haciendas’ refer to large farm holdings. Though in general farms are small in the Mediterranean region. Large holdings (haciendas) can be found in Spain. These haciendas engage a large number of paid laborers.

• The Mediterranean type of climate is characterized by highly developed orchard farming methods. These lands are also known as the world's orchard lands. A wide range of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit are grown.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

• The footloose industry is a general term for an industry that can be placed and located at any location without effect from factors such as resources or transport. Computer chips and mobile manufacturing are some main examples of the footloose industries.
• Footloose industries can be located in a wide variety of places. They are not dependent on any specific raw material, weight loss or otherwise. They largely depend on component parts that can be obtained anywhere. They produce in small quantities and also employ a small labor force. These are generally not polluting industries. The important factor in their location is accessibility by road network. Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.